LiveCycle Workbench ES: PATRuntimeException: Invalid variable type

Issue

After migrating Adobe LiveCycle 7 to LiveCycle ES, the properties dialog for some of the LiveCycle 7 components do not open in imported processes in Workbench. This issue occurs particularly with components from other vendors.

In the server log file, you may find an exception similar to the following:

Adobe LiveCycle Workflow 7.x supported a series of variable types that you can use in process definitions. The form variable type is renamed lc7form when you upgrade to LiveCycle ES. The upgrade willautomatically update your processes to use the new variable type name; therefore, in most cases, thechange is transparent. However, if you are using a custom component from a third-party or have created oneinternally and the QPAC makes an explicit reference to the form variable type, the QPAC must be updatedto recognize the lc7form variable type name instead. The new QPAC must then be deployed to the serverfrom Adobe LiveCycle Workbench ES.

Solution

For Adobe components, make sure you are using the latest version of the component available from the Workflow SDK. For QPACs from other vendors, please contact these vendors and request an updated QPAC which is compatible with LiveCycle ES.

To deploy the updated component:

Copy the component jar file to a local folder on the server

Open Workbench

Show View -> LiveCycle 7.x components

Right click in the LiveCycle 7.x components view, and select “Deploy new component”

Browse to the component jar file from step 1 above

Set the appropriate deployment properties for the component

Click OK

You may have to close and re-open the process map in Workbench for the changes to take affect. You should now be able to open the properties dialog for the affected component activity.